Following the race at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, an Italian motorsport journalist crowned Charles Leclerc as the only real rival to Max Verstappen, stating: “As soon as he gets a truly competitive car, he will be able to fight on equal terms.”
The 2025 United States Grand Prix once again confirmed what has long been evident: Max Verstappen is competing in a league of his own. In his post-race analysis for the Italian press, the journalist described the Dutchman as “the best driver of them all,” while identifying Charles Leclerc as his only real challenger.
Oscar Piastri completely “disappeared” over the Texas weekend, while Lando Norris — despite finishing second — was unable to fully exploit the potential of his McLaren. The British driver took nine laps in the first stint and fourteen in the second to get past Leclerc, a delay that, according to the journalist, is far too long for someone aiming to win the World Championship.
In a weekend where McLaren looked to be the favorite, Ferrari surprised everyone. For 37 of the 56 laps, Charles Leclerc kept the red SF-25 ahead of both papaya McLarens and comfortably in front of the Mercedes cars.
“A huge surprise, finally,” the Italian expert commented, describing Charles Leclerc as “the Texas acrobat” and praising his determination, focus, and fighting spirit when defending his position — even against Lewis Hamilton. His attitude, the journalist said, reflected that of a genuine team leader.
He also believes that Charles Leclerc is “very close to Max Verstappen” in terms of pure talent. “Once he has a truly competitive car, he’ll be able to perform at a level very similar to Verstappen’s,” the journalist remarked. The Monegasque’s third place in Austin, just 15 seconds behind the Dutch champion, represented “a great boost of confidence.”
Lewis Hamilton, on the other hand, still appears to be struggling slightly. His fourth-place finish left him unsatisfied, and the journalist noted that he “is still finding it difficult to match his teammate’s pace and to perform at his best.” However, if Ferrari has truly understood how to manage the tire operating window, “the race in Mexico will be a lot of fun.”
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